Pearl Harbor Day Remembrance

December 7th, 1941. It's quite possibly the most significant date in American history for the twentieth-century. On this day, seventy-one years ago, the Empire of Japan rattled Uncle Sam's cage. For months, Imperial diplomats pushed for peace in Washington, while Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto orchestrated a massive two-wave attack against the American Pacific Fleet, with one goal in mind: Cripple US naval might in the Pacific; opening an avenue for the planned North American invasion.

Ignoring Japan's historical precedents for unannounced attack, and fear of sabotage via espionage, vessels hugged Ford Island in tight formations only yards apart.

While a Southern California family hustled to church, and a New York couple sat down for Sunday brunch, 1,760 pounds of armor-piercing high explosives crashed through several decks of the USS Arizona. Exploding seconds later on a timed charge. Those who didn't perish in the inferno were heard tapping Morse code along the bulkhead days after the battle, before dying of asphyxiation. Eleven-hundred-seventy-seven sailors and marines eternally rest inside the Pennsylvania class battleship.

More than 750-thousand tons of bombs and torpedoes were used to destroy four battleships, three cruisers and three destroyers by 353 Japanese A6M2 Zeros, Kate-97s and Val-99s. Over 350 American aircraft were also damaged or destroyed. The pride of the Pacific, aircraft carriers Lexington, Enterprise and Saratoga were on maneuvers in open sea and escaped annihilation.

Of the ships damaged or destroyed in the attack, all but three were fully repaired and returned to service. This display of resilience, industrial might and sheer determination would later define what many people call, "The Greatest Generation." Perhaps summed up best by the Harvard educated Yamamoto: "I fear all we have done is to awaken a sleeping giant and fill him with a terrible resolve."


Note from the writer: I've had the privilege to hang out and interview several American World War II veterans. They are an amazing group of individuals filled with moxie, vigor and joy. Sadly, over one-thousand die every day at the very young, average age of 92, and it won't be long before we lose these national treasures to time.

You can often find them proudly wearing a "WWII Veteran" hat. If you see one, please take the time to say hi. After the war, they moved on with their lives; got married, raised children, worked long careers and never asked for tribute. Sadly, millions died without ever seeing the memorial in Washington, D.C. dedicated to them. Ask a vet if they've been. Who knows, you may get the war story of a lifetime.